HYDERABAD: The city is facing a severe shortage of onions for the first time, mostly due to short supply from Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Malakpet market, which gets about 10,000 quintals of onion every day, received only 2,000 quintals on Tuesday. Marketing sources say this can lead to artificial hike in the retail market.

Sources said there was drop in the price of Onions on Friday and Saturday for the Maharashtra variety of onion, which was available for Rs 110, but immediately there was a shortage. “Farmers are expecting better price for their onion so they are taking their produce to the states where they get a higher rate than our local wholesale market. This is the most probable reason for the lesser arrivals,” an official pointed out.

Some days ago, the city’s market had seen a dip in arrivals of Karnataka onion, which is considered second grade. There has been no supply of onion from Kurnool district in AP, and whatever little comes from Telangana, will begin from Rabi season.

“Because of onion prices governments have fallen. This time, the price hike sustained for a very long time. The government is not giving any explanation or solution,” said K Padmalatha, a housewife from Himayathnagar.

There is a difference of at least Rs 15 to Rs 20 in case of high-quality onions when it comes to retail market. Officials said prices will come down by January, and by Sankranti, will return to normal.